CALLOUS vandals trashed thousands of pounds worth of kids equipment with a “sledge hammer” during a rampage at a football club.

Craig Shipman, director and head coach at Supreme Soccer, was outraged equipment including goal posts had been trashed as well as the club’s drive-able lawnmower and power generator.

Mr Shipman fears £2,000 worth of damage was caused during the break-in at the club, based behind Glenwood School in Benfleet.

The 38-year-old, from Benfleet, said: “Gutted is an understatement, you work your whole life to provide a football service to the community and this is how the youths treat it.

“They’ve smashed things up for absolutely no reason, and it’s even worse when it’s for the kids.

“They even lobbed a whole load of equipment into the next field where I can’t get to it, it’s just so frustrating.

“I only found out when I came in after having a call from one of the mums, who told me they thought someone had been over there.

“It looks like they came over here to play a bit of football and kicked it round the back of the summer house, which thankfully they didn’t touch.

“But I guess they thought lets smash things up, it looks like they have just taken a sledge hammer to it. It was honestly like finding someone had burgled your home.”

Read more:

Good Samaritan punched after stepping in to help man being beaten and robbed by station

Echo:

In a bid to replace the vandalised equipment, a Go Fund Me page has now been launched by club manager Lee Baker - already raising over £1,000.

The team are now calling on any witnesses to come forward, with the hopes of tracking down those responsible.

Mr Shipman, said: “My lawnmower especially is my pride and joy, which if we can’t get it repaired will have to be replaced.

“This is like my second home, it’s my own little place I can do all my coaching and we’ve spent so long turning it into what it is today.

“Lee has been a big part in that, and has now gone out of his way to help sort out this for us.

“We think it must’ve happened over the bank holiday, but I didn’t find it till Tuesday morning and was so shocked.

“Thankfully we’ve got so many people behind us and I’ve been so overwhelmed by the support we’ve had. Thank you to every single person, I’m so grateful.”

Call Essex Police on 101 and quote crime reference 42/60758/21.

Visit https://bit.ly/2Oydjes